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"They will do me no harm," Alinor assured her man. "My unharmed person is necessary to their purpose." |
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She reined in her mount and came forward to face the pursuers. Whoever had taken her was going to receive a very rude surprise, she thought. There was no need, however, to give him warning. Alinor lowered her blazing eyes and set her teeth into her full lower lip while she struggled with her temper. By the time her small party was surrounded, she had won her battle. |
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"You have made a mistake," she said quietly. "Go your way and allow me to go mine, and I will not recount this incident to my betrothed husband, Lord Ian de Vipont." |
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Alinor had spoken deliberately to inform her captors that she was useless as a marriage prize. If she were already betrothed, the Church would readily annul any forced marriage. Moreover, Ian's name would give weight to the idea. Any nobleman would know that Ian de Vipont was a familiar of the king's and had long served him. Thus, it might be expected that John had approved the marriage between Ian and Alinor and would press the annulment of any other union. Alinor had a brief qualm as the thought crossed her mind that the abductor might be one of John's henchmen. |
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"Norman bitch," one of the captors snarled in English. |
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"Peace!" Alinor hissed as her men stiffened with outrage. |
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The remark was momentarily incomprehensible to her. Her reaction in restraining her men had been instinctive, a response to the hopelessness of their position. Slowly it dawned upon Alinor that no servant of a nobleman in England in this day and age would use "Norman" in that derogatory sense. This was no abduction to gain a marriage prize. These were the reaversor, at least, a part of that group. What did |
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